Pierce College announcement.
The Pierce College Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the selection of three finalists for the Chancellor and CEO position at Pierce College. The Board is pleased with the quality and experience of the finalists and look forward to meeting them on campus.
The finalists are:
Kim E. Armstrong, Ph.D.
Kim E. Armstrong, Ph.D. is the Vice Chancellor for Student, Equity and Community Affairs at Arkansas State University Three Rivers. Armstrong has a distinguished record of excellence in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion. She currently serves on the Arkansas Community Colleges DEI Taskforce and is the DEI Chair for the Missouri-Arkansas Regional Kiwanis. While at Black Hawk College, her DEI initiatives received several state and regional recognitions. She also published a chapter “Access and Success for First-Year Students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math” highlighting the role community colleges play in preparing underrepresented students to meet the growing STEM workforce demands.
Under her leadership, Black Hawk College and Arkansas State University Three Rivers were recognized for student success, inclusion, and community engagement cultures.
She earned her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. from Howard University in Physiological/ Neuropsychology. She has postdoctoral training in Electrophysiology from Northwestern Medical School and Developmental Neurobiology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She recently earned the Strategic Leadership and Management Specialization certifications from the University of Illinois-Coursera.
James Quezon Hammond, Ed.D.
James Quezon Hammond, Ed.D., has more than 29 years of experience as a teacher/professor, coach, administrator, and trustee for K-12 school systems and higher education institutions in the states of California, New York, and Washington. Hammond currently serves as superintendent for the Ontario-Montclair School District (OMSD) in Southern California – a school system regarded as a leader in innovative programming, continual improvement in test scores, and comprehensive professional development and trainings for employees and families. Hammond has a proven track record of being a tireless advocate for equity, diversity, inclusion and access. In addition to serving as Superintendent in the Tukwila School District and Davis Joint Unified School District (CA), Hammond has strong ties to Pierce County having worked as a teacher, coach and building administrator in both Tacoma Public Schools and the Bethel School District.
Hammond received his B.A. in Political Science and Secondary Education from Saint Martin’s College. Additionally, Hammond has an M.A. in Curriculum, Instruction and Administration from Gonzaga University; and an Ed.D. in Education from Washington State University.
Julie A. Manley White, Ph.D.
Julie A. Manley White, Ph.D., has served as president of Pierce College Fort Steilacoom since 2019, providing transformational and collaborative leadership for the college, Pierce College at JBLM, and educational programs at Western State Hospital and the Special Commitment Center. White is proud to advocate locally, statewide, and nationally for resources and partnerships to support students and employees.
As a first-generation student from a rural community, Dr. White understands the life-changing power of higher education. She believes that community colleges are the best institutions we have for transforming lives, advancing racial and social justice, and creating vibrant, healthier, and more equitable communities.
White has served at a variety of institutions, including community colleges, liberal arts colleges, and research universities, with roles in student services, academic administration, research administration, health education, and women’s services. She has a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from University of Rochester; a Master in Education in Counseling from Xavier University, and a B.S. in Education in English Literature from Miami University.
Faculty, staff, students and community members are invited to meet the candidates during upcoming open forums that will take place on Oct. 17-18, Oct. 20-21, and Oct. 24-25.
Please visit our Chancellor Search webpage for more information. Details about open forums will be available soon.
